أَنا العاشِقُ العاني وَإِن كُنتَ لا تَدري

أَنا العاشِقُ العاني وَإِن كُنتَ لا تَدري

أُعيذُكَ مِن وَجدٍ تَغَلغَلَ في صَدري

أُعيذُكَ مِن وَجدٍ تَغَلغَلَ في صَدري

I am the captive lover, though you do not know.

I am the suffering lover though you don't know

I seek protection for you from a longing that has penetrated deep into my breast.

I seek refuge from passion that seeped into my chest

خَليلَيَ هَذا اللَيلُ في زَيِّهِ أَتى

خَليلَيَ هَذا اللَيلُ في زَيِّهِ أَتى

فَقُم نَلتَمِس لِلسُهدِ دِرعاً مِنَ الصَبرِ

فَقُم نَلتَمِس لِلسُهدِ دِرعاً مِنَ الصَبرِ

My friend, this night has arrived in its garb.

My dear, tonight has come dressed in its finery

So rise; let us seek a shield of patience against sleeplessness.

So rise, let's find armor of patience against insomnia

وَهَذا السُرى نَحوَ الحِمى يَستَفِزُّنا

وَهَذا السُرى نَحوَ الحِمى يَستَفِزُّنا

فَهَيّا وَإِن كُنّا عَلى مَركَبٍ وَعرِ

فَهَيّا وَإِن كُنّا عَلى مَركَبٍ وَعرِ

And this night journey toward the sanctuary spurs us on.

And this wakefulness urges us towards fever

So come, even if our mount is hard to ride.

So come now, though we are on a frail vessel

خَليلَيَ هَذا اللَيلُ قَد طالَ عُمرُهُ

خَليلَيَ هَذا اللَيلُ قَد طالَ عُمرُهُ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ غَيرُ الأَحاديثِ وَالذِكرِ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ غَيرُ الأَحاديثِ وَالذِكرِ

My friend, this night’s life has stretched long.

My dear, tonight has lived long

And it has nothing but tales and remembrance.

And it has no other than tales and remembrance

فَهاتِ لَنا أَذكى حَديثٍ وَعَيتَهُ

فَهاتِ لَنا أَذكى حَديثٍ وَعَيتَهُ

أَلَذُّ بِهِ إِنَّ الأَحاديثَ كَالخَمرِ

أَلَذُّ بِهِ إِنَّ الأَحاديثَ كَالخَمرِ

So bring us the liveliest tale you remember,

So bring us the most sober of tales attended

That I may delight in it—for tales are like wine.

To delight with, tales are surely like wine